Stress seems to be a part of our everyday lives these days. Whether it's work, home life, dealing with friends and family, or even personal goals not going where you want them to go, stress is all too common.

All that being said, there are practical ways to reduce the amount of stress we may feel:

1. Identify the Cause(s)

Sometimes this takes being very tranparent with yourself. There are times we do not want to admit that a particular person or situation is taking a toll on our well-being, but sometimes we have to face the dire truth of where stress may be coming from.

Sometimes the stresses we face come from very familiar areas of daily life:

- Co-worker or supervisor

- Work deadlines - are they getting to you?

- Health issues

- Insecurities

- Aer you sleeping well?

- Are you experiencing any family issues?

- Distractions

- Has there been a change in an important relationship in your life?

There are so many we could list, but it's most important to identify what is the root cause so that you can address it in the best way possible.

2. Release Tension

Schedule the time to go and get a special massage. That time especially for you is all about you. You'll get those tension points in your body attended to and released.

3.Watch Some Funny Videos

Laughter has been said to be a cure to many ailments, so we think it's a fantastic idea support in ridding of stress. “Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain,” explains the Mayo Clinic.

If you do not get anything else out of it, you get those good feels. And we think that's something worth doing.

4. Indulge in Snacks - Mindfully!

Snacking doesn't always have to be considered a bad thing, unless we're consuming food that is less than stellar for our health. But when we make healthy choices for snacking, we also include the essential nutrients our bodies need in order to

In her 2009 book, Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship to Food, pediatrician and Zen teacher, Jan Chozen Bays states, “… much of our lives are caught up in the past and future at the expense of the present moment…" In other words, we should take the time to separate ourselves from what we are doing at the moment we decide to have a healthy snack, focusing on it as a singular activity. When we do this, we make different associations with food. Instead of food being a comforter while lounging and playing videos game or watching television, we have healthy snacking as an option of something healthy to do.

As for our advice right now: Go, eat a delicious crisp apple and give your body the fiber it deserves!

4. Get a Plant

Get all the feels of nature around you; we're definitely a fan of having nature around - can you tell? :)

When you put a plant in your area of work and/or at home, you bring more life near you. Plus a number of plants have been found to support better breathing

Plus, who doesn't want an amazing plant around them?!?

5. For Real, Rurn Off The Smart Phone.

A study discovered that keeping your smartphone on all the time can increase stress.

Furthermore, Everyday Health explains that smartphones produce “a relentless need to immediately review and respond to each and every incoming message, alert or bing.”

Imagine all the times you spend just WAITING for a message to hopefully show up - or a 'like' on Facebook. It makes sense that the anxious waiting and constant inbound notifications command a large part of our daily lives.

With these tips on reducing stress, you can now identify areas where you may want to attend to.